Veronica plant named ‘Atomic Blue’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Veronica  plant named ‘Atomic Blue’, particularly distinguished by dark violet-blue colored flowers, compact habit, healthy foliage, and good mildew and rust resistance, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Veronica hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Atomic Blue’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant botanically known as Veronica hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Atomic Blue’. The new cultivar originated from an open pollination in 2003 in a nursery location in Haarlem, The Netherlands between unknown male and female Veronica hybrida plants.

The new cultivar was selected from the results of the open pollination in 2005 in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Asexual reproduction of the new Veronica by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Haarlem, The Netherlands since the summer of 2008, has shown that the unique features of the Veronica are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices in Haarlem, The Netherlands:

-   -   1. Dark violet-blue colored flowers;     -   2. Compact habit;     -   3. Healthy foliage; and     -   4. Good mildew and rust resistance.

Of the many commercially available Veronica cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Darwin's Blue’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,070. However, in side by side comparisons in Haarlem, The Netherlands, plants of the new cultivar ‘Atomic Blue’ differ from plants of ‘Darwin's Blue’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are more compact, as measured by         plant width and branch length, than plants of ‘Darwin's Blue’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have larger flowers, as measured         by corolla height and diameter, than plants of ‘Darwin's Blue’;     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color that is         slightly different from plants of ‘Darwin's Blue’;     -   4. Plants of the new cultivar have a foliage color that is         darker than plants of ‘Darwin's Blue’; and     -   5. Plants of the new cultivar have stronger rust and mildew         resistance than plants of ‘Darwin's Blue’.

In addition, plants of the new cultivar ‘Atomic Blue’ are similar to ‘Atomic Lilac’, pending U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/592,672. However, in side by side comparisons in Haarlem, The Netherlands, plants of the new cultivar ‘Atomic Blue’ primarily differ from plants of ‘Atomic Lilac’ in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Atomic Blue’. The plant was field grown for approximately 1 year in Haarlem, The Netherlands in an outdoor nursery location. The plant was transplanted into a container for photography purposes.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Atomic Blue’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Atomic Blue’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of the foliage of ‘Atomic Blue’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Haarlem, The Netherlands. The plant history was taken in September 2009 on 1-year-old field grown plants which were planted and grown outdoors in daytime temperatures between 14° C. and 28° C. and nighttime temperatures between 5° C. and 18° C. No pinching, growth retardants or photoperiodic treatments were used. Observations were made when the plants were in natural daylight conditions.

-   Botanical classification: Veronica hybrida cultivar ‘Atomic Blue’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Unknown Veronica hybrida.         -   Male parent.—Unknown Veronica hybrida. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cutting.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 30 days with             average soil temperature of 14° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; grey in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate density, poorly branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial. Overall shape: Broad columnar.             High temperature tolerance: Tolerant to at least 35° C. Low             temperature tolerance: Hardy to at least USDA Zone 4.             Excellent garden performance.         -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 4 months from rooted             cutting to a finish flowering plant.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Broad, upright,             moderately vigorous.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 38.2 cm. Width: Approximately 22.9 cm. Rate of             growth: In spring, approximately 10 cm per month.         -   Branching habit.—Moderate to freely basal branching;             pinching not required. Quantity of branches per plant:             Approximately 4.         -   Branches.—Shape: Rounded. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect.             Length to base of inflorescence: Approximately 15.5 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 3.5 mm Length of central internode:             Approximately 2.8 cm. Texture: Slightly glossy, densely             pubescent with short greenish-white hairs. Length of             pubescence: Approximately 0.25 mm. Color of young and mature             stems: 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per stem:             Approximately 12. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite.             Durability to stress: High.         -   Leaves.—Shape: Ovate. Margin: Serrate with approximately 4.5             teeth per cm. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Obtuse. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately             6.1 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 3.1 cm. Texture             of upper and lower surfaces: Moderately glossy, sparsely             pubescent. Length of pubescence: Approximately 0.4 mm. Color             of pubescence: N155A. Color of upper surface of young             foliage: 143A with venation of 146D. Color of lower surface             of young foliage: 143A with 144A and venation of 144A to             144B. Color of upper surface of mature foliage: Darker than             but between 139A and 147A with venation of 146D. Color of             lower surface of mature foliage: 147B with venation of 144A             to 144B.         -   Petiole.—Shape: V-shaped. Length: Approximately 6.0 mm.             Width: Approximately 6.0 mm. Height: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Color: 143C. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering under outdoor growing             conditions with substantially continuous blooming from July             through late September in The Netherlands.         -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately             7 days.         -   Flowering response time.—Approximately 60 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Terminal raceme, persistent.             Fragrance: None detected. Height: Approximately 21.1 cm.             Width: Approximately 2.3 cm. Quantity of opened flowers per             inflorescence: Approximately 380 on central raceme and             approximately 125 on secondary racemes. Rate of flower             opening: Approximately 10% of the flowers open at any stage.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to approximately a             30° angle. Length: Approximately 20.6 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Single. Shape: Campanulate.             Aspect: Outward, turning downward with age.         -   Bud just before opening.—Quantity per inflorescence:             Approximately 380 on central raceme and approximately 125 on             secondary racemes. Shape: Ovate. Length: Approximately             5.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Color: Petals of             N88B to N88C; calyx of 143C. Rate of opening: Approximately             20% of buds open at once, all open within approximately 7             weeks.         -   Corolla.—Shape: Campanulate. Height: Approximately 9.0 mm             Diameter: Approximately 8.0 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: 4, occasionally 5. Arrangement: Lower 45%             of each petal fused into a narrow tube. Appearance: Dull.             Shape: Oblanceolate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Broadly acute.             Length: Approximately 5.5 mm. Width: Approximately 2.5 mm             and a wider upper petal of approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color of upper surface             when first and fully open: N88B with 93B and N155A at base.             Color of lower surface when first and fully open: N88B with             93B and N155A at base.         -   Calyx.—Shape: Rotate. Length: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.         -   Sepals.—Quantity: 4. Appearance: Dull. Shape: Ovate to             narrow ovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate,             lower 30% fused. Length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Width:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth. Color of upper and lower surfaces of immature             sepals: 143C. Color of upper and lower surfaces of mature.             sepals: 138B.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Approximately 50° angle             from vertical. Length: Approximately 1.0 mm Diameter:             Approximately 0.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2 per             flower, dorsifixed. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther length:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Filament length: Approximately 7.0 mm.             Anther color: 182D. Filament color: 85C to 85D. Pollen             amount: Sparse. Pollen color: 8A to 8C. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 7.0 mm.             Stigma shape: Clavate. Stigma color: N82C. Style length:             Approximately 6.5 mm. Style color: N82C. Ovary color: 144C. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Good mildew and rust resistance. No     particular resistance or susceptibility to other diseases or insects     noted to date. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant named ‘Atomic Blue’, substantially as herein shown and described. 